Seal-locked can.



E. TYDEN.

SEAL LOCKED CAN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.5. 1913.

1,076,334; Patented Oct. 21, 1913;

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EMIL TYI EN, GE HASTINGS, MICHIGAN.

seat-Loosen can.

Specification of L tte .P tent- PatentedOct. 21, 1913.

Application filed March 5, 191-3. SeriaI No. 751,987.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL TYnnN, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Hastings, in the county of Barry and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Seal-Locked Cans, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved construction of a can or the like, such, for example, as a milk-shipping can, which shall be adapted to be secured with a lock adapted to be sealed to prevent tampering.

It consists of the elements and features of construction shown and described .as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is an axial section of a ortion of a can of the general character 0? a mil'k shipping can, constructed for and having a locking device embodying this invention, section being made through said locking device. Fig. 2

is a side elevation of a portion of the can showing the locking device in locked position. Fig. 3 1s a plan view of the blank from which the seal bolt is formed. Fig. i

a is a partly sectional edge elevation of the seal bolt when completely formed, section being made longitudinally through the engaging hook terminal. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l, showing a modified form.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a portion of the can, showing this modified form in locked position. Fig. 7 is a plan View of the seal bolt of said modified form- The can shown in the drawings is a enstomary form of milk-shipping can, comprising a cylindri al ody mem er, :1, having a flared upper portion, 2, and a cover member, 3, which telescopes within the cylindrical ortion of the body member, and has an exteriorlyextending flange, 4:, ov rhanging the flared upper end of the body memher and engaging outside of it, the m rgin of both said engaging parts being fini hed with wired beads, 2 and 46, for stifiness and to facilitate their engagement at closed position of the can. At the outer side of the body member, in the angle between its straight cylindricaland flared portion, there is mounted a housing, .6, having a vertical slide-way, 6, for a combined bolt and seal, 7, which has its upper end provided with a sloping hook nose, 7, ending at the down- K wardly facing-shoulder, 8 constituting substantially a hook terminal for engagement with the cover member; and said cover member is provided with an annular ledge or shoulder, '9, extending around it at proper position for engagement of said hook terminal of the seal bolt at the closed position of the cover. The seal bolt is made of a strip of metal plate sufliciently thick to form a stubborn hook terminal, as described, when folded upon itself, by the form shown in Fig. 5, the end of the blank from which the said seal bolt is formed having a short lug, 7 which, in the folding of the blank to form said hook terminal, enters an aperture, 7, in the body, and is hooked into the aperture, as seen in Fig. 5, so that the triangular or tapered end or hook terminal which results from said folding is stubbornagainst any pressure operating against its downwardly-facinghook shoulder. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the flat end portion of the seal bolt is provided with an aperture,

7 which at the locking position of the bolt is crossed by the line of the lower edge of the housing. 011 the portion of the seal below said aperture, it may bear an identifying mark as indicated by the letters X, Y, Z, shown in the drawings, such mark being applied so as to be readable on the side of the seal bolt which is toward the can when the seal is first inserted, being the outer side when the end of the seal is folded back for sealing, as hereinafter described.

When the seal bolt has been inserted from the lower end of the housing up therethrough until its upper end has'sprung into engagement with the lip, ledge or shoulder, 9, of the inner member of the can, it will be pulled down a little to ,fully engage the hook, 7, with said slip, '9, and the operator will then bend the seal outward over the lower edge ofthe housing, outward over the lower edge of the housing, and fold its lower .end portion back against the outer surface of the housing, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. This process will tend to draw the hook end of the seal still more tightly into engagement with the lip, 9, and secure the can body and cover against separation until and unless the seal bolt is broken at one end or the other. If by forcibly pulling the hook nose could be broken ofl', the remainder of the seal would drop out, and the ,fact of opening the can would be thus disclosed. If an unauthorized person should undertake to bend back the lower marked end of the seal, it will break upon being straightened back into position, such that it would be pulled up through the 'housing by lifting the cover, and the absence of the lower marked end or tag of the seal would disclose tampering.

In Fig. 5 there is shown a modification of I the device which consists in making the seal bolt, (denoted 7 in this form) widened at the lower end to form a head, 7 and trans verse shoulders, 7 which stand below the lower end of the housing when the seal is in locked position, and prevent the opening of the can unless the head is broken oil. In this form the engaging of the seal bolt cannot be hooked so as to be pulled down into complete engagement with the ledge, but its engagement is limited to a direct inward movement of the hooked end so as to over hang the shoulder or ledge on the other member of the can, and the said hook end of the seal bolt is accordingly made with its downwardly-facing shoulder substantially at right angles to the length of the body of the seal bolt. In order to prevent access through the lower end of the housing to the engaging end of the seal for disengaging it by means of a wire, or the like, the lower end of the seal body is bent inward toward the can just above the head, so as to close the lower end of the path which is necessarily provided for the hook end of the seal bolt. This closure of the lower end of the path serves the further purpose of prevent ing dust and dirt from being carried up by air currents and lodging in position where it would contaminate the contents of the can. In this form the presence of the head, 7 at the lower end of the seal bolt makes it unnecessary to bend that end for securing the seal, but it is necessary to break off this head in order to open the can and to facilitate such breaking the seal is preferably provided with an aperture, 7 which crosses the line of the bend, 7 to weaken the seal at this line, and for opening the can the operator will bend the seal back and forth at this weakened line until the head breaks off.

I claim 1. In a can or the like having a body member and a cover member which are telescoped with each other, the other of said telescoped members having its upper end diametrically enlarged to offset it from the inner member, in combination with said telescoping members, a seal lock comprising a housing mounted upon the outer side of the outer member having a vertical slide path for a seal bolt, said enlarged port-ion of said outer member having an aperture registering with the slide path of the housing for entrance of a seal bolt therethrough into the space between the two members at the offset portion of the outer thereof, the inner member having an upwardly-facing shoulder on the outer side exposed in said space between the two members; a seal-bolt of sheetmetal having one end formed for engaging the shoulder, adapted for insertion endwise into the slide-way of the housing for such engagement, and to protrude its other end from the housing when so engaged, said seal bolt being adapted to easily break by bending back and forth at the edge of the housing slide-way beyond which it protrudes.

2. In a can or the like, having a bodymember and a cover member which are telescoped with each other, the outer of said telescoped members having its upper end flaring, in combination with said telescoping members, a seal lock comprising a housing mounted upon the outer side of the flaring portion of the outer member having a vertical slide path for a seal bolt registering with an aperture in said flaring portion for entrance of the seal bolt therethrough, the inner of said can members having an up wardly-facing exterior shoulder for engagement of a bolt against the separation of said telescoping members longitudinally, and a seal bolt of sheet metal adapted to be inserted endwise in said slide-way and formed at its inner end for engaging said shoulder, and of such length as to protrude outside the housing when so engaged, the exteriorly protruding portion being adapted to be bent across the plane of the slide-way at the end of the latter, and to break upon being bent back toward its original position.

3. In a can or the like, having a body member and a cover member which are telescoped with each other, in combination with said telescoping members, a seal lock comprising a housing mounted on the outer side of the outer member, having an up-anddown slide path for a seal bolt registering with an aperture in said outer member for entrance of the seal bolt therethrough, the inner of said can members having an upwardly-extending, inwardly-facing exterior lip or flange adapted for hooking engagement of a hook bolt to prevent the longitudinal withdrawal of the cover, and a seal bolt of fiat metal adapted to be inserted upward endwise in said slide-way, and formed at its inner and upper end for a hooking engagement with said lip, and of such length as to protrude outside the housing when so engaged, and adapted to be bent across the plane of the slide-way at the lower end of the latter, and to break upon being bent back toward its original position.

4. In a can or the like, having a body member and a cover member which are telescoped with each other; in combination with said telescoping members, a seal lock comprising a housing mounted upon the outer side of the outer member, having an up-and down slide path for a seal bolt, said member having an aperture registering with said seal path for entrance of a seal bolt therethrough, the inner of said members having an exterior lip forming an upwardly and inwardly-facing sloping shoulder, a seal bolt of sheet metal adapted for sliding endwise in said slide path, having one end refleXed at an acute angle to form a hook to engage said lip, and adapted to react elastically into engagement therewith upon being flexed to pass said lip in the inthrust of the seal bolt, said seal being of such length as to protrude a portion from the housing when engaged with said lip, and being adapted to be bent at the end of the slide path across the plane of the same, and to break upon being bent back to its original position.

5. In a can or the like, having a body member and a cover member which are telescoped with each other in combination with said telescoping members, a seal lock comprising a housing mounted upon the outer side of the outer of said telescoping members, having an up-and-down Slide path for a seal bolt, and apertured for the entrance of such bolt therethrough to reach the inner member, said inner member having an exterior lip forming an upwardly and inwardly-facing shoulder, a seal bolt of fiat metal adapted for sliding endwise in said slide path having one end provided with a sloping hook nose for hooking engagement with said lip, and adapted to react elastically into engagement therewith upon being flexed to pass said lip in the inthrust of the seal bolt, the slide path of the housing being adapted to admit said hooked end, and having at its upper end a slope overhanging the path of said hooked end to deflect the latter past the lip and against which the body of the seal rests when engaged with the lip, said seal being of such length as to protrude a portion from the housing when so engaged, and adapted to break upon being bent back and forth at the lower end of the housm 6. In a can or the like, having a body member and a cover member which are telescoped with each other, the outer of said telescoped members having its upper end enlarged in diameter in combination with said telescoping members; a seal lock comprising a housing mounted upon the outer side of the outer member having an up-and-do-wn slide path for a seal bolt, said member having an aperture in its enlarged portion registering with said seal path for the entrance of the seal bolt therethrough, the inner of said members having an exterior lip forming an upwardl facing shoulder; a seal bolt or fiat mem er adapted for sliding endwise in said slide path, having the upper end provided with a hook terminal for engaging said lip, and adapted to react elastically into engagement therewith, the slide path of the housing having at its upper portion means for deflecting the bolt for reaction into such engagement with the lip, and the lower end having an offset for closing the lower end of the path of the hook terminal of the seal bolt, and below said offset a head for stopping the further inthrust of the bolt, said. seal being adapted to be broken b bending back and forth at the lower end 0 the housing to detach the head.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 24th day of February, 1913.

EMIL TYDEN. Witnesses:

LUoY I. STONE, EDNA M. MACINTOSH.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

